Matt Fitzpatrick leads by five after day three of Nordea Masters

Matt Fitzpatrick will take a commanding five-shot lead into the final round of the Nordea Masters after overcoming a nervy start to fire a four-under 68 in the third round at Bro Hof Slott.

Fitzpatrick led by three overnight but found himself trailing by a stroke when he followed seven pars with a bogey at the eighth as Nicolas Colsaerts and defending champion Alex Noren cruised to the turn in 33 with three birdies in five holes.

But the Belgian powerhouse stuttered with bogeys at the 10th and 13th and Noren also dropped shots at 10 and 11, while Fitzpatrick found his touch on the greens as he birdied nine and 10 and he regained full control of the tournament with three birdies in a row from the 13th.

The 21-year-old, whose only top-10 finish of the season came at The Masters in April, negotiated the dangerous par-threes at 16 and 17 in par, and a solid closing four got him into the clubhouse on 15 under.

"I'm obviously delighted," said the reigning British Masters champion. "It was a bit of a slow start, and I find the front nine more difficult than the back nine, especially in the wind. But I stayed patient and got my rewards in the end. It's one of the things I've learned since turning pro.

"I putted really well again and let's hope it continues for one more day because tomorrow's the most important day. The greens are pristine and the way I've putted on them, it won't surprise you to learn I'm a big fan of them. I wish we could putt on them every week."

Colsaerts clawed a shot back at the long 15th and parred in to complete a 70 which earned him a share of second with Noren, who revived his hopes of a third victory in his home event with a superb run of four straight birdies before he rounded off a spirited 67 with three closing pars.

Noren briefly held the clubhouse lead ahead of Denmark's Lasse Jensen, who vaulted 22 places up the leaderboard with a flawless 66 which included three consecutive birdies from the 13th and another - his sixth of the day - at the last.

But Fitzpatrick's fellow English challengers Andrew Johnston, Ross Fisher and Lee Westwood lost ground on the runaway leader all three failed to break par in the third round.

Johnston was three over for the day after bogeys at 10 and 11, although he managed to salvage a 73 with birdies at the 13th and 18th to get back to seven under, while Fisher is a stroke further adrift after a 74, coming home in 37 with three birdies, two bogeys and a double-bogey at the short 11th.

Scott Henry's hopes of a maiden European Tour title were effectively ended by a disastrous triple-bogey eight at the 12th as he carded a 74 to slip back to six under, while Westwood also came to grief at the long 12th and ran up a seven.

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Three-time champion Westwood made his third birdie of the day at 15 and carded a 72 which left him at five under along with compatriots Tyrrell Hatton (71) and Chris Hanson (70).

Home favourite and world No 6 Henrik Stenson, the highest-ranked player in the field, will also be playing for pride on the final day as he offset four birdies with two bogeys in a 70 - four under for the tournament.